Prep Baseball Report

6 Teams Lineup to Strikeout ALS at Doak Saturday


Brandon Hall
North Carolina Director of Scouting

On Saturday, North Carolina State’s Doak Field will host three high school games aimed at bringing awareness and raising money for the fight against ALS.  The Chris Combs Baseball Classic will feature 6 teams from the Greater Triangle Area, each playing at Doak Field. 

The 2nd Annual Chris Combs Baseball Classic is part of the Strike Out ALS effort and will feature Broughton HS, Middle Creek HS, Southern Lee HS, Garner HS, Millbrook HS, and Sanderson HS.  100% of the proceeds, from each game played at Doak Field will benefit the ALS Association of NC.

Chirs Combs flourished on the field for Broughton HS in the early 1990’s, later taking his talents to North Carolina State.   The 6-foot-7 left handed hitter and right handed thrower struck fear into both opposing hitters and opposing pitchers on the diamond.  Drafted in 1996 by the Rangers, Combs returned to NC State for the 1997 season where he was drafted again, moving up 9 rounds to be the 5th round pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates. 

Combs would play into 2001 and eventually returned to NC State where he works in the Wolfpack Club.  In May of 2016, Combs was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.  Almost immediately, Combs, his family, and his friends began to attack and work to raise money to battle ALS, giving hope for those with the diagnosis that a breakthrough will come soon.

The one day event at NC State may play a small part in the continued fight against ALS, but when you look at all of the small fights that are being organized each week, through efforts similar to #StrikeOutALS you can see that the efforts of Chris Combs will be rewarded, and we hope in the near future.

Chris Combs Baseball Classic

*All games at NC State’s Dail Park at Doak Field, home of Wolfpack Baseball

12:00pm              Broughton HS vs. Middle Creek HS

2:15pm                Southern Lee HS vs. Garner HS

4:30pm                Millbrook HS vs Sanderson HS

Broughton Caps (9-9, 4-4 in Cap 7)

+Currently 4th in the Cap 7
+Won the Bobby Murray Spring Break Tournament

Players to Watch:

Kyle Ehlers, INF – Pitt CC commit

Xander Hamilton, RHP/1B/OF – VA Tech commit

Penn Sealey, 3B/RHP

Middle Creek HS (11-8, 4-3 in South Wake 4A)

+Currently 3rd in South Wake 4A
+2 game win streak entering Saturday

Players to Watch:

Ryan Chasse, LHP – Campbell commit

Dominick D’Ercole, 3B/RHP

Jake Wolf, RHP – UNC Greensboro commit

Southern Lee HS (15-5, 7-1 in Tri-County 3A)

+Currently leading the Tri-County by 2 games
+Enter on a 4 game win streak

Players to Watch:

Drew Bryan, C, 2020

Hayden Cross, C, 2018 – App State commit

Cameron Wells, OF, 2018 – Wake

Garner Magnet HS (14-4, 5-2 in South Wake 4A)

+Tied for the lead in the South Wake 4A
+Currently No. 5 in PBR/NCBCA Coaches Poll

Players to Watch:

Brett Banks, RHP, 2019 – ECU commit

Xavier Bussey, OF, 2018 – South Carolina commit

Tyler Gillespy, SS, 2018 – Campbell commit

Nolan McLean, C/RHP, 2020

Millbrook HS (13-6, 7-2 in Cap 7)

+1 game lead in Cap 7 race
+Won 4 of last 5 games

Players to Watch:

Brian Pearce, RHP, 2019

Tyler Snead, OF, 2018

Greg Strickland, SS/RHP, 2018 – Brown commit

Sanderson HS (5-10, 3-3 in Cap 7)

+Currently 5th in Cap 7
+Spartans have played well at home this spring with a 4-1 record

Players to Watch:

Jordan Blalock, RHP, 2018 – Lynchburg commit

Alim McNeill, OF, 2018 – NC State commit (Football & Baseball)

Baxley Holshouser, RHP, 2020